Automatic railroad gate



Jan. 26, 1932. B R 1,842,928

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GATE Filed May 15, 1931 INVENIOR I/Ilf? Bauer BY .l 4?

ORN Y Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE IMRE BAUER; OI NAG-YKONI, HUNGARY, ASSIGNOR TO STEVEN KBANICTZ, F

BRANTFORD, ONTARIO, CANADA AUTOMATIC RAILROAD GA'IE' Application filed m 15,

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in an automatic railroad gate.

It is an object of this invention to construct an automatic railroad gate which. ischaracterized by a gate at the sidesofa railroad track, anclmechanicalmeans along the track to the front and the rear of the gate for op erating the gate to close upon the approach of a train and to open after the train has passed and adjustable to cause raising of the gate to various heights.

It is a still further object of this invention to arrange the mechanism for operating the gate in a manner so that the gate may be of the type which opens vertically upwards or which moves sideways.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of wheel mechanisms operable by one of thewheels of a train on the track,

' said wheel to be of exceptional width and to run over a series of cams connected with mechanism to turn the motion into rotation and thereafter into adjustable longitudinal motion.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a plurality of the cams-men'- tioned in the previous paragraph rotatively supported adjacent the tracks, each in a phase of rotation substantially 90 from the adjacent one, and means for rotating all of the cams as one is turned.

More particularly it is proposed to arrange the cams in a certain sequence along thetracks so that as the wheels comealong it first depresses one of the cams causing all of them to move so that the second one now moves in a position to be depressed, and upon depression by the wheel the third one moves into position, and so on. i

Furthermore as another object of this invention it is proposed to arrange wheel mechanisms as mentioned in the previous paragraph to the front and to the rear of the gate so that the gate can be mechanically closed as well as mechanically opened.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a simple and eflicient adjustable means for transmitting the rotations of the cam to operate the gate.

1931. Serial No. 537,553.

tion, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanyingdrawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an automatic railroad gate constructed according to this invention and shown applied to a portion. of tracks.

' Fig. 2 is aplan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged detailed View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line Y 4'4 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 3. V

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational viewof the rack illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7.7 of Fig. 6. p

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6'. l v

Fig. 9 is a schematic showing of the locations of the cams as the train approaches.

Fig. 10 is a subsequent position of the cams as the wheel rides over the first one.

Fi 11 is a schematic View illustratin 2D '3 the wheel depressing the second cam.

Fig. 12 is a schematic view illustrating the Wheel depressing the third cam.

The automatic railroad gate ha been shown applied to a pair of tracks. 10. The

gate as illustrated is of the type which opens capable of swinging from the vertical to the horizontal Each of the arms are mounted upon a pintle shaft carrying a gear 14 engaged by a crossed belt 15 extended over a wheel 16 fixed upon a transverse shaft 17. For further comprehension of the inven- "lhis shaft extends beneath the tracks 10- and carries both of the wheels 16 so that both sides of the gate operate simultaneously.

A pinion 18 upon the shaft 17 meshes with a gear 19 fixed upon a rotative shaft provided with a pulley 20. A cable system extends over the pulley 20 for the purpose of causing the opening and closing of the gate. This cable system may be traced to wheel oper ated mechanisms 21 located to the front and to the rear of the crossing. Preferably, these wheel operated mechanisms should be located approximately 600 meters away from the gate. Each of the wheel operated mechanisms includes a pulley 22 rotatively mounted and supporting the cable which consists of an upper layer 23 and a lower layer 24. Starting from the left wheel 22, the lower layer 24 may be traced around the pulley 20 in an anti-clockwise manner, then across idlers 25 to the pulley 22 at the right hand end of Fig. 1. There the cable continues to the top layer 23 which can be traced over idlers 26 over the pulley 20 and back to the pulley 22.

Each of the wheel operated, mechanisms 21. comprises a plurality of cams 27. 28. 29 and 30 rotatively mounted by reason of beinp; attached upon shafts 31. The shafts 31 are rotative in standards 32. Each of the shafts 31 is provided with a crank portion 33. A connecting rod 34 is connected between all of the crank portions and with a crank portion 35 of a shaft 36 which is also rotatively mounted in standards A wheel 37 is fixed upon the shaft 36 and is formed with a. plurality of teeth engageable with. the teeth of a rack 38. The rack 38 is interposed within the bottom arm 24 of the cable connection.

The racl 38 consists of a. top adiustable layer 42 and a bottom. relatively stationary laver 43. Upon the top layer there is a plurality of teeth 44. These teeth are evenly spaced along; one side. then inclined towards each other and evenly spaced on the other side except that the spacings are much smaller. The tops 45 of these teeth are inclined as clearlv shown in 8 with the high points at one side. Studs 46 proiect from the lower section. 43 through transverse el0ngated slots 47 in the upper section 42 so as to allow relative transverse movements of these sections. The end teeth are provided with cutout portions 48 to allow for the passsage of the bolt heads 47 from the stud 46 as the top section 42 is moved relative to the bottom section.

A spindle is rotativelv mounted in a standard 50 upon the ton section 42 and. suports a worm pinion 5] engaging through an opening 52 in the top section and ar ainst rack teeth 53 formed in the bottom section. A handle 54 is arranged upon the outer end of the spindle 49. The handle may be turned 101 causin the top section to move transversely in one direction or in the other.

versely in one direction or in the other, as indicated by the dot and dash lines 55. The bottom arms 24 are connected with the lower section 43 of the rack.

The operation of the device may be traced by assuming a train to be moving in the direction indicated by the arrow 39. This train has one of its wheels indicated by dot and dash lines 40 in Fig. 5 of exceptional width so as to extend over the cams 27, 28, 29 and 30 when the train is traveling upon the tracks. The cams are set 90 from each other as clearly shown in Fig. 3 for example, so that when the first cam from the left is in the vertical position the second is 90 anticlockwise thereof, the third 180 anti-clockwise, and the fourth 270.

In Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive the action of the train wheel against the cams have been disclosed. In these Figs. the are 41 indicates the train wheel and it should be noticed that the cam 27 is in the path to be depressed. In Fig. 10 the wheel 41 has moved further forwards so that now the cam 27 is depressed 90. This causes all of the cams to turn clockwise 90 so that the cam 28 is now in the vertical position. As the wheel continues, the cam 28 is depressed as clearly shown in Fig. 11 and this depression causes all of the cams to rotate 90 further clockwise. In Fig. 12 the wheel has moved still further into a position in which the cam 29 has been depressed so as to cause all the cams to move 90 further clockwise than the position shown in Fig. 11. Then as the wheel 41 progresses further, the last cam 30 will be depressed and this concludes the rotating of the cams and they are now back in their initial positions.

. The rotating of the cams is transmitted by the connecting rod 34 and the crank 35 to rotate the wheel 37 As the wheel turns it acts against the teeth of the rack 38 so as to move the rack and correspondingly move the cable 34. Themotion of the cable causes the wheel 20 to be turned and this rotation is transmitted to lower the gate. After the train has passed the gate. it soon reaches the wheel. mechanism 21 illustrated at the right hand end of Fig. 1. Now then, the operation repeats, that is, the wheel runs over the various cams so as to consecutively depress them and cause rotations which will be transmitted to raise the gate and to simultaneously draw the cable 24 into its original position. The device is now set for another train to come along.

To change the amplitude of motion of the cable so as to adjust the raising and lowering of the gate, the handle 54 should be turned so as to cause the rack section 42 to move trans- .41 change in the position of the rack section 42 causes the teeth of the wheel 37 to act against different portions of the teeth 44 and consequently move the rack through different distances. against the high points of the teeth 44 shown at the left in Fig. 8, the cable will be moved through the largest amplitude. As the rack section 42 is adjusted so that the teeth'of the wheel 37 acts against intermediate portions of the other ends of the teeth 4%, the relative motion of the cable will be materially reduced. While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not iinit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is'reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the'appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 2-- 1. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams-being substantially 90 from each other in a consecutive order, means for simultaneously rotating all or" the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one of the wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the Wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate.

2. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams being substantially 90 from each other in a consecutive order, means for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one of the wheels of an oncoming train so that first one f the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to ed e and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate, a corresponding mechanism being located past the gate and connected with the gate to open the gate after the passage of the train.

3. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams being substantially 90 from each other in consecutive order, means If the teeth of the wheel 37 act for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams proj ecting into the path of motion of one of the wheels of an oncoming train so that first one H of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edgeto edge and adjustable edge- Wise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate, said cams being fixed upon rotative shafts provided with cranks, and a connecting rod connects said cranks for causing turning of all oi the cams simultaneously.

t. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate, means for simultaneously rotating all of the cams any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one of the Wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the Wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate, including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative with a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate.

5. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams being substantially 90 from each other in a consecutive order, means for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one otthe Wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the Wheel, means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate, and a gate operable by said latter mentioned means.

6. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each oi the cams being substantially 90 from each other in a consecutive order, means "for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams pro ectmg 1nto the path of motion of one of the wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate, said means for rotating all of said cams as one is turned comprises cranks connected with said cams, and a connecting rod between the cranks.

7. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a tract: to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams being substantially from each other in a consecutive order, means for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one of the wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted up on by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate comprising a toothed wheel, means for turning said wheel upon turning of the cams, a raclr meshing with said toothed \v reel, and a cable system including said rack and connected with said signal.

8. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams being substantially 90 'rom each other in a consecutive order, means for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one of the wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause all of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and. then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmit the rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate, compri ing a toothed wheel, means for turning said wheel upon turning of the cams, a rack meshing with said toothed wheel, and a cable system including said rack and connected with said signal, said cable extending over a pulley connected with a transmission system capable of moving the gate upon operation.

9. An automatic railroad gate, comprising a plurality of cams rotatively supported adjacent a track to the front of a railroad gate and each of the cams being substantially 90 from each other in a consecutive order, means for simultaneously rotating all of the cams as any one of the cams is turned, said cams projecting into the path of motion of one of the Wheels of an oncoming train so that first one of the cams is turned to cause al of them to turn to raise the second to an operative position and then as the wheel progresses the second is depressed and in this manner until all have been acted upon by the wheel, and means to transmitthe rotations of the cam to operate the gate including a rack with teeth sloping from edge to edge and adjustable edgewise relative to a driver wheel for adjustment of the amplitude of motion of the gate, each of said cams being fixed upon a shaft, and standards rotatively support said shafts.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

IMRE BAUER. 

